There wasn't anything of particular interest in the way of new comics on Wednesday so I ended up picking up a couple of older comics.Silver age Spidey has some of my favorite stuff. One of my personal favorite stories that I feel doesn't get enough attention is the return of Doc Ock in Amazing Spider-Man #53-56. The last time we'd heard from Otto was in Amazing Spidey #33, which was part of the Master Planner Trilogy. When Doc Ock comes back, he's up to his usual tricks and he even fools aunt May into thinking he's a sweet, mild-aged man (though I guess back in those days, it really didn't take much to fool her). Anyway, one of Spidey's battles with Doc Ock happens in aunt May's house and she's so shocked by the sight of "that awful Spider-Man" that she faints. Ock takes his leave, leaving Spidey a nervous wreck. I never thought Peter would take off his mask in aunt May's presents, but he does so in ASM # 54. She was unconscious at the time, but it was still something that really took me by surprise. This issue, which is in good condition cost me a little less than $9.
The other Silver Age Spidey comic I picked up was Amazing Spider-Man #114. This issue has what has become one of my favorite villains in the new Spectacular Spider-Man series, Hammerhead. Doc Ock is also doing bad deeds in this issue and aunt May once again takes Ock's side. She even manages a sneak attack on Spidey, which really shouldn't be possible. One thing that has always bugged me about this issue is that aunt May never trigger Spidey's spider-sense. The writer of this issue, Roy Thomas seemed to have been in the mind that Peter's spider-sense only reacted to enemies. I do recall that in ASM #60, Captain Stacy (under Kingpin's mind control) tried to attack Peter, but Peter was warned by his spider-sense. Either it was his spider-sense or those squiggled lines over his head were for shock value in that panel, which I'm pretty sure they weren't. Even Stan knew that it reacted to all threats, even those from friends and family. Why didn't Roy and later, Gerry Conway? In later years, Peter's spider-sense would continue to be a power that some writers would disagree on, never quiet 100% sure on how it would work. Anyhoo, I paid less than $5 for this issue here, also in good condition.
Lastly, my dollar picks. I picked up Spider-Man: Quality of Life #4, and the Peter Parker: Spider-Man '97 Annual. I'd already owned the first three issues of Quality of Life from a
few years ago, and they had a few #4 issues in the dollar bin that I'd been meaning to get around to buying but never did because I was buying other older Spidey books. As for the '97 Annual, well, I'd always been intrigued to check it out based on the cover and I've never read anything about the Marvel Zombies. Looks like I'll get educated over the weekend.
Comments
This also makes me think of when Mary Jane tries to hit Pete with a pillow in the middle of the night and his spider-sense goes off. It was in Spider-Man #26 (Story 2).
The Spider-sense definitely had its kooky moments in the very early days. In the 1st Annual, it allows him to detect where Betty and Aunt May are at in Doc Ock's hideout.
I miss the dollar bins. I don't think there are any at the comic store near where I live, but they were definitely present at flea markets.
They were always a great way to catch up, save money, and have a lot of reading material when you got back home.
She used to make me sick sometimes for trusting Doc Ock over Spider-Man, and thinking how can she be safe around him when he says Peter told him to guard her.
spideyfan, yeah, Peter really should have gave aunt May the 411 on Spidey. She trusted Ock, a villain, but not the hero? What a fool. As for Peter, well he's more of an idiot now than he was back then. I'm referring to BND of course.